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	  <td width="800px" valign="middle" class="legend"><p>MapBlog Help and Instructions </p>
      <p><a href="http://www.esc.edu/smart/students/flash/mapblog/mapblog_v2.htm" target="_blank">Start by Viewing a Narrated Tutorial</a> </p></td>
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	<td class="help_body_text"><p>The MapBlog learning activity is an Internet-based  mapping system that allows you to link documents and web pages to locations on a map. The MapBlog is based on Google Maps, so if you have used Google Maps you already know basic navigation using the MapBlog. The MapBlog is a type of Internet application known as a <a href="mashup.html" target="_blank">mashup</a>. </p>
	  <p><strong>In this course you will create the documents you link  to the map. These documents must be created in the Team Files area of your course. The Team Files area is found under the Communications tab of your course. You can create documents (files) in the team  area or you can upload documents to your team files area. Files stored in the Team Files are are automatically treated as web pages. You can obtain the URL (web address) of a document you have added to the your Team Files Area by clicking the document link to open the document. Copy the URL from the address bar of your browser. The narrated tutorial (linked above) shows how to create files and obtain the URL. </strong></p>
	  <p><strong>The basic MapBlog functionality includes:</strong><br />
      1) <a href="#step1"> Viewing the map - you can pan the map and zoom in and out</a><br />
      2) <a href="#step2">Clicking on placemarks to see the linked documents that other students have added to the map</a><br />
      3) <a href="#step3">Adding your own placemarks and associated documents to the map </a><br />
	    <br />
	    This document provides general instructions on how to use the MapBlog.  Note that these instructions are not course specific and your course  assignment may provide additional  instructions.<br />
	    <br />
	    <b><a name="step1">1) Viewing Locations on the map</a></b><br />
      Access the Mapblog using the link provided in your course. A typical MapBlog assignment provides instructions on what you will do with the tool, and it includes a link to the MapBlog specifically configured for your course. When you access the MapBlog through your course link you start in &quot;viewing mode&quot;.  If placemarks have been added to your course MapBlog you can click on a marker to open the web resource linked with that location. </p>
	  <p><b><a name="step2">2) Clicking on markers</a></b><br />
	    Every placemark that you see on the map should be linked with a web based resource. This can be either a standard web page, or a document in your course created specifically for this purpose. Clicking on a placemark opens the linked resource in a new window. If you click a marker and the window opens, but no page is displayed, it is because the link was entered incorrectly, or the resource is no longer available. If markers are too close to together, or if the labels overlap, zoom the map in. <br />
	    <br />
	    <b><a name="step3">3) Adding your own and markers and associated documents to the map</a></b><br />
	    <br />
        <font color="#FF0000"><b>Before attempting to add a placemark to the map, first identify the exact location you want to mark, and the information that you will link with that location. </b></font></p>
	  <p>In this course you will link your placemarks with documents you create in your course. The MapBlog tutorial linked at the top of this page (or from the MapBlog itself) shows how you can create a web-ready document in your course for this purpose. Alternatively, if you're familiar with creating web pages you can use whatever tool you like and create a web page off-line for uploading to your course team files space.</p>
	  <p><b><font color="#000000">When  adding a placemark to the map you must provide the URL of the   course document (or web page) that will be linked with the marker.  You can --and should-- test your URL before adding your marker. You can test your URL by pasting it into the address bar of your web browser. If the page does not display correctly then there is some problem with the web address that you are using.</font></b> <font color="#000000"><br />
	    </font><br />
      Along with the URL of the resource that will be linked with your marker you will provide the label that your classmates will see when viewing the MapBlog. You will also provide your name so that you can be credited with the work. We recommend that you use your first name and last name with no space in between like this: johndoe. You should also give a little thought to the label you will use. The label should be short and descriptive. Something like:<br />
      &quot;Battle of the Little Bighorn&quot; or &quot;Invasive Plant -Japanese Knotweed&quot;. Don't use special characters in your label, stick to the letters, numbers and dashes. </p>
	  <p>Once you have assembled the information you need, proceed to add your marker by clicking the 
      &quot;Add A New Location&quot; link at the top right of the MapBlog window. This switches you to the <strong>Add Locations View</strong>. The <strong>Add Locations View</strong> looks like the previous view, but in this mode when you click on the map you will be prompted for the information that you will associate with the selected location. Start by zooming and panning the map to find the location where you will place your marker. When you have positioned the map so that you can see the exact location where you want your marker to go, click on the map. This opens up the <strong>Add Marker</strong> window where you will enter the <b>three key pieces of information that will be associated with your marker: </b><br />
        <br />
        1: The label that will appear with your placemark on the map<br />
        2: The URL (web address) of the page you created in the Team Files area of your course <br />
        3: Your MapBlog nickname - the name you want to have associated with the placemark <br />
        <br />
      Enter the information and check it. When you are satisfied that it is correct, click the <em><strong>Save</strong></em> button. After clicking <em><strong>Save</strong></em> the web address (URL) of the web resource you associated with your marker is displayed in a dialog box - so you can check it. Next, the linked resource is shown in a separate window so you can verify that it is correct. If there is a problem you should click the &quot;Delete Last Marker&quot; link at the upper right to remove the marker so that you can try again. <b>Once you leave the &quot;Add Marker&quot; mode you can not remove the markers you add. </b></p>
	  <p>Once you are satisfied with the location of your marker, and the web page it is linked to, click the Return to the MapBlog link at the top of the page to go back to the viewing mode. In viewing mode you will see your marker on the map.</p>
	  <p><b>If after returning to viewing mode you realize that you have made a mistake, send your instructor an email so that he/she can delete the errant entry.</b>  You'll need to provide the label and name that you used so that your instructor can remove the correct marker.  </p>
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